Childhood
by Pickle-c.o
Summary: Life is a mystery we all know that, especially when you can't remember your own past. For Kai life is a pain, but what if it wasn't always that way? What if at one point his life was good? Well for a little while anyways. Kaixoc RxR Prequel to Countdown
1. I Hate School

_A/N i can't believe I'm doing this, but here it gose. This is a prequel to my other Beybalde fic called Countdown so I hope you guys like it. _

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****Chapter I: I Hate School**

It was the 5th of September once again, the day school started and Kai Hiwatari found himself walking into his new classroom, Mr. Kerr's first grade class. And he was bored already. Lazily he sat down in one of the desks in the back and waited for the national anthem. Then came the same old boring stuff, talk about spelling. By the time he got around to sentence structure Kai could feel his eyes begin to close.

"Kai," Mr. Kerr said gently shaking him awake. "Kai, wake up,"

"Did I fall asleep?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Yes, you silly sleepy head, it's time for recess," he said, kindly.

"Sorry Mr. Kerr," he apologized.

"Just don't let it happen again," Mr. Kerr warned.

"Yes sir."

With a sigh he stood up and headed outside. Looking around the yard he felt the boredom consume him once more. This was dub, really dumb. He hated school, not dislike but hated school. It was so BORING! Dodging the older kids he made his way to the only tree in the whole playground and climbed up it. He could see everything from up here. He could see the jungle gym, the swings, and the sand box, he could even see his sister's class coming outside.

Miss Farris' kindergarten class was small this year, he noted. Compared to his class it looked microscopic. It was easy to spot his sister in the crowd with her blue hair. She was talking to one of her classmates, a raven haired boy with golden eyes, for some reason when Kai looked at the boy he thought of a fierce tiger. The kids began to scatter around the yard and Kai watched his sister and the cat boy head off to the swings.

One of the other girls in his sister's class stuck out as well. She looked a lot like the cat boy, they both had the same tan skin, raven hair, and cat like eyes, but unlike the boy the girl's eyes held some flexes of green in them. The reason she stood out was that she held a stick in front of here, not a normal stick, like from a tree but it was long and white. At the end of the stick was a small white ball and above the ball was red reflector tape. And the handle… we he thought it was a handle, it was black and looked lie it was made of rubber. The metal rod seemed to intrigue him.

The girl itself was dull. As she made her way across the yard she seemed to jump at every sound that came close to her. He watched the girl draw closer and closer to _his _tree. And she sat down under _his _tree. He watched her fold the stick into four pieces and kept it together with a elastic string that was connected with the handle. Just as he was about to yell at her for being under his tree a boy with black hair and brown eyes stepped forward. Thinking back he remembered the boy's name was Chris Kon.

"Where's the milk money mom gave you?" Chris demanded.

The girl reached into her pocket and pulled out a dollar fifty. Quickly Chris snatched it out of her hand.

"That's mine," she cried.

"Wrong, it's mine now," he corrected.

"Mum said I gots ta drink my melk," she whined.

"Too bad squirt, drink from the fountain," he sneered, "Now go and play with you little baby friends…. Oh wait you don't got any friends."

Laughing Chris turned around and began to walk away. For some reason anger began to boil up inside of Kai and he found himself jumping out of the tree, right on top of Chris. The two rolled to the ground. Quickly Chris got to his feet and grabbed Kai by the shirt. The first grader clamped shut his eyes waiting for the older boy to hit him.

"Put him down," someone ordered.

Three pairs of eyes looked up at a tall, black haired, green eyed, third grader. The girl that Kai had tried to help ran and hid behind the new comer. Chris glared at his older brother Dan.

"Put him down," Dan repeated. With a sigh Chris released Kai. Then Dan turned to the girl and asked, "What happened?"

"Chris tooks my melk money," she cried, "and tha boy tried ta gets it back."

With a groan Dan turned back to his little brother and held out his hand, "Give it," he said calmly. Chris pulled his pockets inside out, revealing nothing. Dan took a step forward and grabbed Chris by the ear, "Cough it up, _now_." Opening his left hand, Chris gave his brother the money. Happily Dan let his brother go and watched him run off.

"I didn't need your help," Kai protested.

"Sure kid," Dan said, then turning to his sister, "I'll hold on to this for you, okay?"

Silently the girl nodded. Both watched their hero return to the playground.

"MY name's Andy," the girl said softly.

"Kai," he said.

"That was really brave, standing up to Chris," she mused.

"Yeah, well he had it comin'," he shrugged, feeling his cheeks get warm.

"Thanks," she said.

Before running off Andy quickly kissed Kai on the cheek. For a while he stood in shock.

"Gorse!" he yelled finally, while rubbing his cheek vigorously.

Andy looked around the yard, the sight of over three hundred kids over whelmed her. Her fear quickly retuned. Then she saw an empty swing. As fast as she could, without bumping into anyone she ran and sat on the swing. A second later a blue haired girl ran up. She reminded Andy a lot of Kai, except she had blue eyes instead of crimson ones. Sadness over took the girl's face. With a sigh Andy got off.

"I'm done," she lied.

"Thanks," the girl said, sitting down. "You know, you look a lot like Ray."

"He's my twin broder," Andy explained, recalling seeing the girl in her class.

"You must be Andy then, the girl with the stick thingy," she said,

"Mama says it's call and kane," Andy explained.

"Oh. My name's Kayla."

Just then the bell rang and Andy and Kayla like up behind her brother. For the rest of the day the two talked about chow annoying brothers could get.

_A/N Well there you go I hope you guys liked it. And are you happy now Kayla? So how about you guys drop a review and let me know what you think, please._


	2. Owie

_A/N I still don't know how I got suckered into this but here's the next chapter. Oh and thank you Kayla for reviewing._

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**Chapter II: Owie**

When the final bell rang, Andy and Ray sat quietly and waited. A few minutes later Chris and Dan came in the room. Quickly the twins grabbed the backpacks and put on the coats. Each older brother grabbed one of the twins' hands and led them outside. The four silently made their way home. At a small white house they stopped and entered the front door. A black hair woman came forward and took the four's coats.

"So how was your first day?" she asked.

"Fine mom," they said in unison.

"There's a snack for you in the kitchen," she said, "But don't eat it all, an old friend of mine from the orphanage and her two children are coming over soon."

"Yes mom," they chorused.

The four raced into the kitchen and scrambled onto the stools and ate their cheese and crackers. A couple minutes later the doorbell rang. Quickly Dan hopped down from his seat and went to the door, while Andy jumped down and brought two more stools over from the closet. They heard their mom greet Mrs. Hiwatari and her kids. Dan entered the kitchen with two new blue haired kids. Instantly Andy and Ray jumped down and greeted Kayla.

"Hi Kayla," they said in unison.

"Hi guys," Kayla greeted.

Andy looked back at her older brothers to see a shock and an angry face towards their other visitor, Kai. The blue haired boy glared back at Chris. Once he noticed Andy though he almost jumped out of his skin. _'Boys,' _she thought, _'always so scared of cooties.'_

"Hi Kai," she said politely.

"Hey," he murmured.

"If you hungry there's some cheese and cwakers left for you guys," Ray said.

"No thanks," Kayla said.

"Me neither," Kai agreed.

"More for me," Chris shrugged, taking more onto his plate.

"Bet ya if we ask real nice like, our mums will let us go to the park," Ray suggested.

"You can forget it," Dan said, "I'm not walking you four over, besides ain't got enough hands."

"We can go by ourselves," Ray argued.

"Yeah right, last time mum let you two go on your own squirt here got stuck in the middle of the street," Chris laughed.

"Don't remind me," Andy mumbled.

"We can still ask," Ray argued.

"Fine but she's gonna say no," Dan sighed.

With that Ray stuck his tounge out at his brothers and walked into the living room. What he heard next he would take to his grave.

"Aly, we've been best friends for a long time right?" Mrs. Hiwatari said to his mom.

"What are you getting at Adella?" his mom asked, looking at Mrs. Hiwatari like she did when she wanted the truth from one of her children.

"I'm sick Aly," Mrs. Hiwatari almost whispered.

"You seem fine to me," mom said what Ray himself was thinking.

"What are you doing," Andy whispered.

"Shh," Ray ordered, covering his sister's mouth.

"It's not that kind of illness Aly. I'm dying slowly, it's almost too much to bear," she murmured.

"Stop it, you're scaring me," mom ordered.

"The doctors say I got six months, maybe less…. Aly I want you to watch over the children, will you do that for me?"

"Why are you telling me this?" Aly groaned.

"Because sweet little Aly, you're my best friend."

"No more talking of such things."

"First you have to promise me you'll watch over my children."

"I would've even if you didn't ask."

Andy and Ray stood by the doorway in shock. They watched to two women sit for a long time in silence. Ray spotted a tear trickle down his mother's cheek. As if they heard nothing the twins stepped into the living room.

"Mom, can we go to the park?" Ray asked.

"Whose we?" his mother demanded.

"Me, Andy, Kayla and Kai," he said quickly, hoping she thought she heard Dan's name in there.

"You know perfectly well that last time I let you two walk to the park without Dan that your sister got stuck in the middle of the road," she said sternly.

"Please mom," he begged, "I'll let her hold my elbow and everything. Mrs. Jacobs lets Molly go to the park on her own."

"Mrs. Jacobs doesn't have a five year old that can't see fifteen feet in front of her," she snapped.

"What if Kai walks with her?" Mrs. Hiwatari suggested. "He walks Kayla to the park all the time and our home is farther away. I'm sure if we tell him to he will."

"Please," he begged, "You don't want us to leave her with Chris do ya mum?"

"Alright," she sighed.

"Yeah," both children cried.

"Now when you cross the street make sure she has a good hold onto your elbow," Mrs. Kon said for the fifth time.

"I'll be careful Mrs. Kon," Kai assured.

"And you," she said turning to her daughter.

"I know I know, don't let go of his elbow, always look both ways before crossing even if someone is guiding me, keep my ears open and always cross when the light is red," Andy said.

"Andrea," Mrs. Kon warned.

"Just kidding mum," she said quickly.

"Kai," his mother said, "We're trusting you, so be careful."

"Yes mom," he answered.

"Where's your cane?" Mrs. Kon demanded, just as they were about to leave.

"Do I have to bring it," Andy whined.

"Yes," both mothers said in unison.

Grumbling Andy went to the closet and brought out the same stick Kai had seen earlier that day. Quietly she returned to his side and held gently onto his elbow. Finally the left the house. It wasn't so bad having someone holding on to his elbow, the problem was that it was a girl… a girl that had kissed him. In no time they were at the playground. Ray and Kayla immediately went to the swings. Andy on the other hand went towards the slide. As she reached out for the fireman's pole a boy bumped into her as he ran towards the slide.

Kai stood and watched as Andy lost her balance and began to fall. On her way down she looked like she did a summersault, banging her head against the pole. Her left hand went out to cushion her fall but it seemed to do no good. _'Ouch,' _he thought as he saw the impact. Suddenly him, Ray, Kayla and the kid that started it all were crowding around her.

"Klutz," Ray mumbled.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," the kid apologized.

But she didn't move. Worried Ray reached down and shook his sister hard, but still she didn't wake. The four of them continued to try to wake her as blood trickled down from where she hit her head. A few minutes later a man walked up behind them.

"What happened?" he asked.

"She fell from up there," Kayla squeaked, pointing to the top of the playground.

The man kneeled down and with two of his fingers touched her neck. Quickly he took out his cell phone and called someone. Once he was off the phone he turned to Kai and said,

"Where's you mom?"

"Back at her house," Kai answered.

"Tweebs!" someone called. A second later Chris and Dan walked up behind the man.

"Klutz," Chris mumbled.

"Is this your sister?" the man asked.

"Yeah," Dan said, "we just came to get them home."

"You better go and tell you mom that she needs to go to the hospital," he said.

"Great," all three Kons groaned.

"That's okay," Andy murmured, waking up, "I'm fine."

"Lay still," the man ordered, "you may have a broken wrist."

"I'm fine, really," she said sitting up.

"Well then you won't mind the paramedics taking a look at you," he said.

"Para what dics?" she repeated.

"Don't say," Dan warned.

"Paramedics," the man repeated, "their doctors that drive in the big white truck."

At the word doctor Andy jumped to her feet and hid behind her brother. "No, no, no! No doctor, I'm okay, I'm okay," she whined.

Dan looked at Chris and silently commanded his younger brother to return home. With a sigh Chris began the run back. A few minutes later the sound of sirens was heard, a man and a woman in a blue uniform ran up towards them.

"Where's the victim?" the man asked gruffly.

"Behind her brother," the other man said.

Quickly Andy hid even more behind her brother's leg. The woman in knelt down to the five year old's level and held out her hand. This only made her retract from the adult and hit her left arm against Dan's leg, Andy's face suddenly when pale from the pain.

"Hi there sweetie, my name's Cindy," the lady said kindly. "I just want to have a look at your arm."

"No," Andy squeaked.

"Come on squirt," Dan said.

The eight year old pick up his little sister and sat her on his lap. The paramedic gently took her left arm and began to feel her arm from the armpit down. While Cindy checked her arm the man that had came with her examined her cut on the head. Just as he was about to put a bandage on the cut Cindy touched her wrist and Andy passed out.

"She may have a concussion," the man said.

"And she definitely has a broken wrist," Cindy added, and then turning to the other man she asked, "Are you the girl's father?"

"No, but her other brother went to get her mother I think," he answered.

"We need get her to the hospital, could you tell her that when she gets here?" Cindy asked.

"Sure," the man said.

"How would you like to ride in an ambulance?" the male paramedic asked Dan.

"Uh sure," Dan agreed, looking back at the younger children. "Stay here and wait for mom."

Carefully the male paramedic reached out and took Andy from her brother's arms. Dan followed the paramedics to the big white truck and hopped into the back. They watched the ambulance drive away as Mrs. Kon, Chris and Kai's mom run up towards them. The man that had helped them told Ray's mother everything. Then Mrs. Kon took Ray and Chris by the hand and led them away.

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A/N I hpled you guys like it, how about you let me know though a review please.


	3. Goodbyes

_A/N Hee, hee, I'm not even going to apologize because I do not expect to be forgiven. If anyone is still reading this enjoy. I have qute a bit written so I hope I'll remember to update soon. Please review._

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**Chapter III:**

**Goodbyes**

The next six months flew by and as Mrs. Hiwatari became more ill while the four's friendship grew stronger. Kai no longer was afraid of Andy kissing him; in fact they were great friends. Kayla and Ray both learned to read at the same time, while Andy took her sweet time learning to write in print and braille, and slowly she got more confident.

On a sunny Saturday morning in March, Kai's father took him and Kayla to Hope Memorial Hospital to visit their mother. She had already been there for about a month. He had overheard the doctors say that she didn't have much time left. As they drew near her room they noticed people running in and out of her door. Quickly his dad sat him and Kayla on a bench near door.

"Stay here," he ordered.

Quietly Kai sat in his seat. A few minute later a Mrs. Kon and her children came. Like his dad she sat her four children on the bench and ordered them to stay put. A long time later she came back out, looking distressed.

"Dan, why don't you take the other's downstairs where the toys are," she suggested.

"Yes mom," Dan answered, getting to his feet.

"I wanna stay," Kai protested. No way were they getting him off that bench.

"Your father wants you to go," she said kindly.

"But," he began.

"Come on shorty," Dan said, slinging his arm on his shoulders. "When we were here last time they had video games, I'll play ya."

"Alright," he sighed.

"Mom, can I get my backpack from the car?" Andy asked. "My braille teacher gave me a tone of homework, the big meanie."

"I thought you asked for the extra homework?" Ray asked.

"Shut up," Andy shot.

"Enough," she said, handing the keys to Dan. "Can do that for me Dan?"

"Yes ma'am," Dan murmured.

Hours dragged by as they sat and played. Ray tied to keep things cheery, but the room was filled with sadness, as if summer was cancelled. After a while Andy stuffed her homework back into her bag and walked over to the three.

"What ya doin'?" she asked.

"Trying to get this puzzle done," Kayla murmured.

"Can I help?" she asked.

"Sure," the three said in unison.

For what seemed like an eternity they stayed in the room. Finally Mrs. Kon came down. A long time she stood in the doorway and watched Kayla and Kai play with the puzzle. Then she walked over to them and without a word took their hands in hers and led them upstairs. When they got upstairs Mrs. Kon sat them down on the bench. She looked a bit nervous Kai noticed.

"Children your mum is very sick, you know that right," she said going to her knees.

"Yes," they said softly.

"Do… do you know what dying means?" Both children shook their heads. "Well, it's when… it's when somebody goes to sleeps and never wakes up."

"Is that what's happening to mommy?" Kayla asked.

"Yes."

"Is she already asleep?" Kai asked suddenly.

"No, not yet, that's why you're here. You mommy wants to talk to you two."

Quickly both children jumped to their feet and went into their mother's room. Their father sat next to their mother's bed holding her hand. Kayla raced to her mother's side and climbed onto the bed. A second later Kai joined his sister.

"Are you going to sleep yet mommy?" Kayla asked.

"Soon baby, soon," she said softly.

**_-o-_**

Aly stood in the doorway and watched Adella lie with her family. Both children lay on either side of her cradled in her arms. As the day went by Aly saw her best friend grow weaker and weaker by the minute. Alex never uttered a word, but it was written all over his face. Slowly Adella fell into a deep slumber, a few minutes later the machine that had been keeping track of her pulse let out a long low beep. The nurse came in a second later and turned it off.

Tears ran down Alex's cheeks as he stood up and lifted a sleeping Kai from the bed. Quietly Aly entered the room and helped carry Kayla to the car. After she watched them drive away she returned to her own children. Dan and Chris were still playing video games, while Ray was getting frustrated over the puzzle he had started but Andy was nowhere in sight. Panic over took Aly.

"Dan, where's you sister?" she asked calmly.

"She should be in the chair doing her homework," he said.

"Yeah," Chris agreed. "And for once she's been quiet."

"That's because she's not here," Aly almost yelled. All three boys turned and looked at the corner chair, no homework, no backpack and defiantly no Andy.

"Oops," they said.

"Come on we got to find her," she said leaving the room.

Round and round the four searched, asking anyone and everyone. Where could she have gone? It wasn't like her to wander off. After an hour of searching Aly headed back to the kids room, hoping that she had returned. As she walked down one of the halls she heard a familiar laugh. Peeking inside one of the rooms she saw an old man sitting in his bed reading a braille book and on a chair next to him was a raven hair five year old.

"Andrea Angel Kon," Aly said happily, hugging her daughter.

"Hi mom," she said cheerfully.

"You know better than to disappear like that," Aly scolded.  
"No I didn't, I went to the bathroom and bumped into Mr. Lovely here, he's been helping me with my homework," she said. "But first I went back to the room and told Chris, honest I did."

"Sorry ma'am if we gave you a scare," Mr. Lovely apologized.

"No that's alright, I think I have a seven year old to talk to," she said, "come on Andy."

"Yes mum," Andy said, "Thank you Mr. Lovely for the help."

"No problem kiddo, come back anytime," Mr. Lovely said, as mother and daughter left hand in hand.

**_-o-_**

A week after their mother's death a purple hair man came to the door. Kai watched his father happily greet the man from the top of the stairs. Behind the man were four other men, all wearing black uniforms. For some reason the sight of them sent chills down his spine.

"Kids come down here," his dad called. Quickly Kayla and Kai ran downstairs. "Kids this is Mr. Balkov, he's a good friend of your grandpa. You're going to stay with him for a while."

"But," they began.

"No buts now go pack," their dad ordered.

Slowly they marched upstairs. As Kai just finished packing his sister came into his room. Almost in tears she ran up to her brother and gave him a huge hug.

"I don't wanna go," she cried, "Mr. Balkov's scary."

"I know, he scares me too, but we'll be okay," Kai soothed. "Now go finish packing."

"Are you ready?" their dad called.

"Yes," Kai answered.

"No," Kayla whined.

"Kai come down, Kayla will catch up," Mr. Balkov ordered.

"But," they began.

"Do it!" their hollered.

With a sigh Kai hugged his sister one more time and took him downstairs. Two of the men in black uniforms took him by the arms and marched him into the back of a van. A second later Mr. Balkov came into the van and sat next to him. _'Great,' _he thought as they drove away. Looking back he took one last look at his home that he wouldn't be seeing for a very long time.

**_-o-_**

That same day Aly went to visit the Hiwataris at their mansion. The first thing she noticed was a black van in front of the door, with two men in black uniforms near by. Taking a deep breath she knocked on the door. A few minutes later Alex came to the door.

"Hello Aly, what do you want?" he asked dully.

"I came to see how you guys are doing," she said. "What's going on anyways?"

"Come in if you must then," he said, opening the door.

"You still haven't answered my question," she said, walking inside.

"The kids are going to stay with my dad for a while."

"Are you nuts!? You're actually letting that nut job near them!?"

"He's my dad, all he wants to do is help me out," Alex argued.

"No! Adella wouldn't like it one bit."

"Well it's too late, Kai's already gone and Kayla's going to leave any minute. I can't handle them right now."

"I can't believe you! You've gone mad."

"Dad will take care of them."

"At least let Kayla stay."

"I told you I can't handle them right now. Every time I look at them I'm reminded of Adella."

"I can take Kayla for a while," she suggested, calming down. "She'll love it. She and the twins are getting along fine."

"Fine whatever, just get her out of my face," he snapped, walking away.

Slowly Aly went up to Kayla's room. The five year old was just finishing packing her suitcase. As she closed it she noticed Aly.

"Hi Mrs. Kon," she greeted.

"Hello Kayla, how would you like to stay at my house for a while," Aly suggested. "It'll be lots of fun."

"What about Kai?" she asked.

"Sorry sweetie, but it can still be fun," Aly said.

"Well… okay," she said after taking a few minutes to think.

Gently she took Kayla by the hand and lifted her suit case. Unlike her brother Kayla happily walked away from the Hiwatari mansion.


End file.
